Future Doctors, Free of Debt

Future Doctors, Free of Debt

The goal of attracting the best and brightest medical students and helping them graduate with little or no debt has received a significant boost.

In April, Traverse City philanthropists Daniel and Debra Edson made a $600,000 gift to establish the Daniel and Debra Edson Endowed Scholarship Fund in the College of Human Medicine.

It is intended to support four full years of medical education for in-state students who have been accepted into the Early Assurance Program, with preference given to students from Northwestern Michigan College.

“I grew up in Antrim County, and our family doctor was 25 miles away,” says Dan Edson, who earned a master’s degree from MSU in 1979 and is co-founder of the Traverse City–based American Proficiency Institute, a global laboratory medicine proficiency-testing firm. “Debbie and I have long been passionate about health care in our area, so to provide a medical school education for an aspiring northern Michigan student is an honor and a privilege.”

For more information on making a gift to the College of Human Medicine, contact Associate Director of Development Kate Lax at kate.lax@hc.msu.edu or call (616) 234-2615.